For a front-end developer like I am, backend code is the most boring type of code that I can write. How well the backend works always and hugely depends on how well the front-end is implemented, and while you can have a front-end only app, you can’t have a backend only app.

As a front-end developer though I find the backend very important and my only limitation in code and applications I can create is directly proportional to the amount of skill I have in writing APIs and backend code.

For this and a few other reasons, I needed to find a way to get a custom API up and running while writing as little code as possible.

The obvious solution and place I decided to start were with Content Management Systems. The most popular ones being Google’s Blogger and WordPress which most impressively runs 38% of the indexed web.

The problems I found with these two is that they come with a bundled frontend. However, they do provide some naked endpoints but Blogger provides very limited capabilities, for instance, you can’t display the content of a post and since its blogger is largely a blogging platform then the content types permitted are only ‘posts’. WordPress, on the other hand, does allow much more flexibility but it runs on PHP and its not the 90s anymore and PHP’s logo is an elephant, which, you know, speed.
I needed something modern.

I also looked into sentry.io which is one of the best headless CMS out there but the pricing plans were very much beyond what I can afford.

I ended up picking Strapi, a headless CMS written in Node, which allows you to create almost any type of application. It’s also open-source which is great for any kind of software. By the way, Strapi is used by Nasa, Walmart & IBM among others.

If you are interested in giving it a try you can look at this video on youtube or check out their documentation or their very simple quick start guide. Going through the video and quick start guide to Spinning out a custom API took less than 60 minutes.

Hacking, addictive as cocaine, thrilling as robbing the Royal Mint of Spain mid-day and gratifying as winning a dozen deathmatches in a row. So, if you are looking to get started here is where you get your first jolt.

The first thing you should always do before setting on, on a digital age Quest is, read a ton of articles on the subject. You definitely will not understand half of what you read but that’s the point. You'll know what excites you and what you don’t know about it. YouTube is also a great resource. Some great places to start would include;
1. Seytonic on Youtube
2. JackkTutorials on Youtube
3. HackerOne
4.     Darkweb on ComputerPhile
5. Hacker News

From there you'll need to choose a platform. Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Linux, etc. You can always switch be a master of many so no pressure, you’ve just got to start somewhere. The best option id say is the web. It gives you access to almost every modern age device (wine cellars and printers included) while maintaining a low barrier of entry.

The next step is CODE. (if you are anti-code hang on, I’ve got something for ya) The best Language is python it's smooth, sleek and not as bitchy as its cousin JavaScript. What I mean is it does not make everything about itself. That said my spouse for 3 years JavaScript would still do the job. The best Python Resources include:
1. Programming with Mosh
2. Havard's CS50

If code isn’t your thing you can give Social engineering a shot. Its where you charm your target into submission, you seduce them into giving you their credentials for instance or some other information they should not be letting on. Side Note: Social engineers are the most dangerous people on the web, more dangerous than the mafia or even the overrated dark web's ‘human traffickers & hitmen’.

In case you are interested in getting a glimpse of the notorious ‘dark-web’. Here are some boards to set you off. PS: don’t say I sent you and use a VPN for your own good (at the very least AnonyTun).
1. Julay World
2. Changolia

Some good books on hacking include:
1. Web Hacking: Attacks and Defense
2. Hacking: The Practical Guide to Become a Hacker | Field Manual for Ethical Hacker | Including Ethical Hacking with Kali Linux
3. Social Engineering Hacking Systems, Nations, and Societies

If you are looking to pick out targets the best paces for this;
1. Shodan
2. Hacker One

Recently Renault unveiled a mind-blowing electric concept car. Renault Morphoz is capable of extending its length from 4400mm to 4800mm. This extension enables the car to get more space for an extra battery pack thus increasing its driving range. This feature also renders more legroom for back seat passengers and luggage.
Morphoz if fitted with a 40KWh battery that gives the car a range of 249miles, this driving range can, however, be increased to 435miles by an additional 50KWh battery-package totaling to 90KWh. In both modes (city and travel mode) the power is delivered to the front wheels through a single motor. The car is designed in a way that it can fit on a CMF-EV platform to add or drop the extra battery pack in both modes.
The essence of having the two modes is to increase the efficiency of the vehicle, that is; reduce the weight of the car during City drive and increase the driving range in travel mode by a touch of a button.


The AI used in this car is fascinating, it is fitted with a facial recognition that detects pre-enrolled face to unlock the door. The handle-less door uses gesture control to open up the door.
The interior of this car is breathtaking. The 4 setter layout is engrossing, its spacious interior gives you all the comfort you need when chauffeured round in this luxurious car. The front passenger seat can flip around and face the back passengers in case you want to have a chat with them. This position also enables the front and the rear passenger a perfect layout to enjoy the pong game at the center console screen. The center console is made up of wood which has a mechanism that when you place your phone on it, it kinda fold down. This syncs your phone with the car’s infotainment and from there you can have some of your important activities displayed on the car's multimedia screen, it also gives you access to the music on your phone.

You’re likely to get more fascinated when you see the folding multimedia display. The display pops up on the dashboard when the driver switches to autonomous mode and folds up in manual driving mode leaving behind a 10.2inches display. The user can control these multimedia displays and other AI systems through touch, voice or gestures.
For now, Morphoz is just a concept car but driving and fully functioning, this means the car is not meant for production b...u..t maybe in future you can make a reservation for one.
Renault has just shown the world a glimpse of the future for autonomous, limitless and electric vehicles. For now, we can only conjure that Renault will incorporate some of Morphoz’s features in their upcoming road-legal production cars.
Catch you next time.

Article by NjugunaCn
njugunacn58@gmail.com
Twitter @njugunaCn

Ooops... I deleted my pics, videos, files, etc....

Let's try to see what happens when items are deleted from our devices

PC: Basically in a PC deleted files go to the Recycle bin, trash or any name the PC gives it according to the operating system.

Once here the files will no longer appear in there normal places but in the Recycle bin.

A file goes here because when you delete it, the pointer is changed or deleted.

The space the file occupied remains the same since it's still in the computer.

If you want to permanently get rid of a file you go to the bin and delete it again or press shift+ delete while deleting it.

A permanently deleted file is basically a file whose reference to the hard drive is deleted and in this case, the computer cannot "see" the file. The computer forgets where the file was or whether it even existed. The reason why it's not deleted completely is that the device is trying to save on computing power.

Imagine arranging the keys of a keyboard to QWERTZ, then the user is done and instead of rearranging the keys in a-z fashion the computer just forgets how that arrangement was QWERTZ and then next time the user needs the keys the computer just arranges the keys from QWERTZ (unknown) to let's say Dvorak thus skipping the a-z all together instead of doing 3 steps the computer does 2.

This space is left free for another file to occupy. However, the file remains on the hard drive until another file or part of another file is saved to the same location.

Therefore when deleting a file the computer just removes the reference of the file which causes it to shift to the recycle bin hence explaining why permanently deleting a file is harder since it involves rewriting the disk space.

Can a permanently deleted file in a PC be recovered?

The answer is Yes... It can be recovered by software designed to rebuild the header of the deleted file.

This software is sold and is available locally.

One can also seek the assistance of East Africa Data handlers who are experts in this.


The deleted files can also be made not to be recovered again by doing the so-called Low-level formatting also known as Zero fillings.

This basically involves rewriting the space occupied in the hard drive by zeros to make it invisible.

This is so technical and near impossible so giving us a conclusion that once a file gets to the hard drive it's never completely lost.


Thanks for reading,

Stay tuned for more

#Nukesafaris

#Castynet

Data storage is a very important aspect of the information age. Most devices offer just enough storage to get you going for a few months. However, most of the data stored on your phone or machine is most likely data you'd want for much longer.

Another very important thing is that the data is portable. Say you took some photos on your phone, you need to edit them in Photoshop CC, then move them back to your phone to post them on Instagram. The back and forth is just not ideal.

Cloud storage is what the electronics industry and almost everyone else are gearing towards. The storage available is much cheaper. It offers data portability, you can access your data from any place and from any internet-enabled device. And it is in some cases more secure and safer to store your data.

Google Drive has one of the most lucrative offers especially because it integrates the storage with the google apps which are just superb. 15gb is however not enough. The other thing about cloud storage is that you definitely need backup. Your account may get hacked or Google could go down, who knows?

Mega has one of the best platforms I have seen in a long time. The UI is great which is a big deal to me. They offer two-factor authentication, with integration to Google two-factor authenticator. They have the most secure system I have ever used and if you aren't sold yet their free package includes 50gb of storage. Mega also has both desktop and mobile applications which allow you to seamlessly sync data between your phone and computer.

You can check out mega here, register and get 50gb worth of free storage, forever, no strings attached.
To turn on two-factor authentication which is extremely important click on the nav button on the top right corner, then "my account," then security, then scan the QR code with the Google two factor authentication app which you could get from the Play-Store. It's also important to save the recovery key because Mega does not offer password recovery as a security feature. You lose your password you lose your data.

Podcasts are a great way to stay up to date with what’s going on with the stuff you like. Most people listen to Radio in their morning & evening commute which is great but if you love tech you will find most of these podcasts much more captivating, interesting & entertaining. You can find these on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts & Spotify. If there are any cool podcasts you find I left out dont fail to mention them in the comments.

# 5 Darknet Diaries

This podcast is hosted by Jack Rhysider. It takes you on a journey through privacy hacks, data breaches, and cybercrime, true stories from the dark side of the internet. It's one of the most entertaining tech podcasts. The podcast takes you through accounts of how countries spy on each other, how Xbox was once hacked, how hacker mercenaries work etc.

# 4 TWiT: This Week in Tech

This is a weekly podcast that covers all the top trends in tech. It is hosted by Leo Laporte who has hosted over 1,601 episodes over 15 shows. The show is recorded live every Sunday at twit.tv and the episode is available on Monday. The episodes are also available on YouTube if you prefer video.

# 3 Waveform

Waveform is Hosted by the beloved MKBHD. New episodes are available every Friday after a fortnight. The show, like his channel, goes through the headlines in Tech over the 2 weeks period, MKBHD also chats with his co-host Andrew Manganelli over the videos they have produced in YouTube. If you like the MKBHD YouTube experience then you are going to love this podcast.

# 2 WSJ Tech Briefing

This is a podcast produced by the Wall Street Journal and unlike all the other podcasts on this list, it covers regular news and an interview. Episodes are available every day of the week. It also has the shortest episodes which average around 10 minutes each.

# 1 The Vergecast

This is the flagship podcast from Vox media. The show is mostly hosted by re-known tech journalist Nilay Patel. New episodes are available mostly twice per week. The show, being run by the biggest tech website on the planet, covers everything you would ever want to know about tech.

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This year started on a high note as the 5g became a thing. With 5g you can easily get to 2 Gbps. This kind of speed is wild and if it were to get implemented now this speed would be revolutionary. But we won’t be getting there for at least another 5 to 10 years. Yes, it could take 10 years. This sounds very pessimist considering that there are parts of the world that run on 5g right now. Here are my two main reasons why we don’t expect 5g in Kenya any time soon.

The good news first: A section from the Daily Nation said that “Currently, it only Safaricom that is testing 5G's feasibility in Kenya. Through its TubeStar Base Station, the telco is expected to launch the network early next year in urban centers. Telkom and Airtel are still laying out infrastructure for 4G.” While this sounds great it's important to note that 4G came out 10 years ago and only less than 10% of the country has reliable 4g network coverage. I am still very skeptical that Safaricom has enough initiative to pursue this.

5g is still very early in its development. The maximum range for a typical 4g tower is 72km. For a 5g node or what you could call a 5g tower you only get about 500m. You would also need to be in direct sight of the node, so in buildings, around comers, past a tree then the node doesn’t serve you anymore. This is simply impossible to implement in a city like Nairobi. With the current technology, we would need more nodes than there are buildings.

Without unlimited data, 5g would be completely useless. On Safaricom, at top speed, you’d only get 20 seconds worth of data with Ksh 10,000. Very impractical. The good thing about this is that with time the billing charges will most definitely change.
What’s sad is that the US & China will probably have 5g by the end of next year, are we honestly 9 years behind these giants? Really sad! 5g will be great once it gets here but right now what most of us need is only 150 Mbps of 4g plus, actually, just make it 100 Mbps.

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The top 5 Movies, Movies, and tv shows in the week 18^th October to 25^th October. Let us know your opinion in the comment segment to help us improve this section. We really value your thoughts and ideas.

Top 5 Music Hits

Top 5 Moves & Shows

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There is a ton of great tech videos on YouTube. Most of these are what’s on your feed now if you are a tech enthusiast. This list started out as a top 5 but some of these guys are just too good to be left out so it went up to 10. If there is anyone you feel I left out, or if you don’t approve the ranking, kindly let me know in the comments section.

# 10 Android Authority. 3.33m subs

Android authority focuses on all things android from phone cameras, to their software and operating systems. The content quality is superb and apart from the fact that their content is Android only they do a great job. They have been on YouTube since Apr 3, 2011. They average 194,978 views per video.
Link - Android Authority

# 9 Pocket now. 1.73m subs

This is one of the oldest tech channels on YouTube having joined on Oct 14, 2007. They focus on mobile technology exclusively. They state their goal as “to provide top-notch news, editorial, review and video content to mobile enthusiasts – veteran and newcomer alike”. They average 98,356 views per video. Their content’s quality is okay and their video’s quality is 4k.
Link - Pocket Now

# 8 Jon Rettinger. 1.56m subs

The channel focuses on a broader spectrum of tech ranging from electronics to electrical cars. He joined YouTube on Jun 7, 2007, and hits an average of 119,525 views per video. His videos are available in 4k and his content gets an 8/10. He recently made a video on “what if Apple died back in the 90s”. How could the tech world be like? It’s pretty cool, you can check it out here.
Link - Jon Rettinger

# 7 Austin Evans. 3.9m subs

The channel takes deep dives into tech. They focus on computers and mobile technology. He has this really cool video of a guy who is trying to create a rocket and land it, like Elon Musk but on a smaller scale. You can check it out here (spoiler he fails). He joined YouTube on Joined Aug 4, 2007, and has an average of 480,856 views per video.
Link - Austin Evans

# 6 Mr. Who’s the Boss. 2.86m subs

Arun Maini who runs the channel is a big nerd. He loves gaming and features cool android tips, tricks & customizations. His playlist on the gaming setup tour is particularly impressive. He joined YouTube on Apr 20, 2011. He has an average of 384,972 views per video. Arun also goes over tech from Asia (India & China) stuff that is mostly left out by most of the American YouTubers, this is actually some of the Tech we get in Kenya & Africa in general. Bonus he has a British accent if you are into that kind of weird stuff (I am & I love it).
Link - Mr. Who's the Boss

# 5 Jerry Rig Everything. 4.69m subs.

Jerry breaks stuff. From iPhones and iPads to Galaxy folds and Pixels. He is your go-to-guy whenever you want to know the durability of mobile phones, the internal structures of iPhones & Galaxies and things like how water-resistant, they are. He joined YouTube on Jul 23, 2012. And has an average of 1,160,230 views per video, the third-highest on this list.
Link - Jerry Rig Everything

# 4 iJustine. 6.15 subs.

Justine is the only female YouTuber on the list, and also has the oldest channel in this list. She is notably one of the best but her channel features a lot more including all her life, her cooking, her dog, etc. While you might not be interested in all this the tech part is great. She joined on May 6, 2006, and has an average of 596,171 views per video.
Link - iJustine

# 3 Linus Tech Tips. 9.34m subs.

Linus is best known for building supercomputers, his knowledge, fluency with processors and explaining small bits of tech on TECH QUICKIE. Gamers love him. He also does reviews on general tech such as phones and laptops but mostly from a performance standpoint. He joined YouTube on Nov 24, 2008. He has an average of 630,492 views per video.
Link - Linus Tech Tips

# 2 Unbox therapy. 15.6m subs.

Unbox has the most subscribers on this list. They cover unboxings of all kinds of tech, from phones to TVs. Unbox is the place to go for new tech and cool stuff, you didn’t know existed, a lot of very cool stuff. Their content is very informative and is most helpful if you are looking to purchase the tech they unbox. Unbox has been on YouTube since Dec 21, 2010. They have an average of 1,915,800 views per video.
Link - Unbox Therapy

# 1 MKBHD. 9.51m subs.

MKBHD is the G.O.A.T in this area. He is featured on Business Insider and Medium as the best. He has had interviews with Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Kobe Bryant, Will Smith, Motorola CEO Dennis Woodside, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The cinematography and crispiness of his videos are the best I have seen on any YouTube channel. His consistency and content quality are also top-notch. He focuses on Consumer electronics from Teslas to Phones and the in-between. He joined YouTube on Mar 21, 2008, and has an average of 1,310,813 views per video. Link - MKBHD

BONUS - If you love science you will love Veritasium a channel the explains the mysteries of everyday science.  Computerphile is also a great mention if you like computer science.

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First, I’d like to make it clear that SSD is superior to HDD, so if you had the option of a 500 GB SSD to a 500 GB HDD, you should definitely go with the SSD. However, it is interesting to find out whether a 256 GB SSD beats 500 GB HDD. This boils down to two major factors.

First is speed. With an SSD your operating system will take a shorter time to boot up, applications will take a shorter time to load, and files will take a significantly shorter time to open and save. So, if 256 GB is enough for you then you definitely want to go SSD.

If you do not mind sacrificing speed for storage, say you are love movies & you need to store them locally. Then HDD is your storage of choice. The price per GB of storage for an HDD is lower than the SSD’s price meaning that you can get a 500GB HDD for the price of a 265 GB SSD. This leaves you with more storage but with slower speeds.

It’s also important to mention that SDDs are quiet while HDD may produce a humming noise, almost like when you compare memory cards and traditional video cassettes, due to this concept in their technology an SSD does not vibrate while an HDD does vibrate. The SSD can not be affected by magnetism while an HDD may be corrupted or even erased by magnets. Also, battery consumption of an SSD is also lower than the battery consumption of an HDD, which may be up to a 30 minutes difference in battery life.

Finally, if by any case you will be using your PC for any pro work, say you are a photographer, video editor, gamer, programmer, etc. and you are limited to a tight budget, here is a tip for you. You can opt to buy a 156 GB SSD, this means that you will have a fast machine. Then buy an external HDD of a terabyte and keep upgrading. This will be both cheap and efficient.

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